A young woman 'trapped' in her own home due to a rare condition that means she cannot wash or dress herself has been stripped of her disability benefits.
Chelsea Tyler and partner Michael Mitchell, from Lincoln, were stunned when a letter came through the door from the Department for Work and Pensions announcing the decision.
The 22-year-old's allowance for her motability car and carer has been stopped, meaning she is only entitled to the standard rate allowance, which is £58.70 per week.
“It’s not fair – it is completely affecting her life," Michael told Lincoln Live.
Chelsea was diagnosed with Glutaric Aciduria Type 1, an extremely rare condition, at birth and doctors did not expect her to survive past the age of one.
The illness affects her muscles and the way her body breaks down amino acids.
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It means that Chelsea can’t dress herself, wash herself or walk more than 100m as her muscles are just not strong enough.
Despite this, in a recent review of her benefits she was told that her motability car and high rate disability allowance were being taken away.
Partner Michael said: “She can’t leave the house, she needs help to get dressed, have a wash and get around.
“She would have carers coming in to help but I can’t work more than 16 hours a week now as those have been taken away and I have to care for her where I can.
"She can’t go anywhere unless I’m with her despite her condition being worse than it was last time it was reviewed.
“In 2012 we had to go to court as she had her benefits taken away, but they awarded them all back to her.
“It feels like we are back to square one and it’s really not fair.”
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